This invention relates to rotary edgers, trimmers or the like which employ a flexible cord for cutting grass, weeds and other vegetation in a flail-like manner. Typically these cutters are used in areas in which vegetation is somewhat inaccessible to apparatus employing rigid cutting blades or where there is a risk that rigid blades may throw as projectiles items concealed by the vegetation.
Generally, such devices include a head member suspended from an upwardly disposed elongated handle. The head member contains an electric motor or gasoline engine which rotates a downwardly directed shaft at high speed. A cutting cord is associated with the shaft, and extends perpendicularly therefrom by centrifugal force to define a cutting plane. The cord is fabricated of a material such as nylon monofilament which is flexible to the extent that it is substantially incapable of causing damage or injury when impacted against persons, animals, trees, etc.
Most embodiments of such trimmer devices include means for detachably holding a supply of cord so that the rotated extremity of the cord may be replaced after wear or breakage resulting from impact during use. The supply of additional cord is generally a continuous coiled length stored upon a flanged spool of standardized construction. Fresh cord may be tangentially drawn from the spool to restore the working length, namely the length between the spool and the free extremity of the cord.
In the course of normal usage, the means for securing the spool to the head member may become jammed by fragments of vegetation or encrusted by accumulated particles of vegetation, causing difficulties in removing or replacing the spool with bare hands. Also, the means for securing the spool to the head member may become loosened due to vibration of the head member or contact of the head member with immobile objects. Such loosened parts of the head member may become lost, or thrown as projectiles. Because the particles of vegetation encrusting the head member may be of an irritating or allergenic variety, such as poison ivy, it is desirable to minimize bare-handed contact with spools during their replacement.
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a rotary cord herbage trimmer in which the spool that holds the stored cord may be quickly and easily removed or replaced.
It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary cord herbage trimmer as in the foregoing object having means for safely securing said spool.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotary cord herbage trimmer of the aforesaid nature in which minimal handling is necessary in removing or replacing the spool.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.